


No Sick Days (and that's that)

by greenleafofmirkwood



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, GTA Universe, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 02:45:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5566648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenleafofmirkwood/pseuds/greenleafofmirkwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jack doesn't show up to a small job, Ryan becomes anxious and finds him bedridden with fever. </p>
<p>(Mostly Ryack with some OT6 in the end)</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Sick Days (and that's that)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this isn't too terrible!

  Jack didn’t take sick days. It was common knowledge in the crew; everyone else would take a few days off every now and then, even Ryan and Gavin, who usually refused to take days off even with severe bullet wounds. But today, Geoff and Gavin were out making sure someone hadn’t ratted (which would probably end up with a sickly sweet date afterwards because both were more romantic than anyone could have guessed), Michael and Ray were at their shared apartment (banging, undoubtedly), and Ryan had been expecting to arrive at the meeting spot down a quiet road and start tracking someone down with Jack, but that was not the case.

  The six had been getting closer and closer within the last few months. Geoff and Gavin, and Michael and Ray were already in relationships before the crew even began, but since then it’s grown to Geoff and Jack (and Gavin), or Ryan and Gavin, or Michael and Geoff or Ray and Ryan - and everyone was just waiting for the turning point, not bold enough to make the move individually. But even though Ryan had only started tentative relationships with Gavin and Ray, he and Jack had camaraderie and a shared appreciation for silence that had them growing closer together, so when Jack wasn’t at the meeting place half an hour past the designated time, Ryan was very worried.

  He’d been mildly annoyed at first – this guy had fucked them over and he’d been looking forward to putting a bullet between his eyes – but when almost thirty minutes passed and Jack hadn’t even texted to tell him where he was, despite Ryan’s numerous questions, he began to worry. In their line of business, no reply could very well be a serious threat and Ryan wasted no time in thinking “maybe he overslept” or “maybe his phone battery died” and mapped out in his head the easiest way from Jack’s apartment to their meeting place. He decided to ring both the house phone and his mobile again, not expecting an answer but quietly hoping. The answer phone’s grating voice made him growl and shove his phone back in his pocket before he made his way down the street to the incognito car he’d driven to the spot.

  He took the most direct route to Jack’s house, knowing that if he were to drive it would be this way, looking out for any police swarms or any other signs of foul play to see if he’d been taken on his way. When he arrived at the apartment, he had no more answers, so desperately hoped there would be some inside. All members of the crew had access to each others’ houses in case of circumstances such as these, and Ryan unlocked the front before making his way up to Jack’s apartment on the fourth floor.

  “Jack?” he had one hand on the handgun in his jacket as he walked in, unsure of what to expect. So far though everything seemed fine, nothing out of place…except Jack, who was still not replying. “Jack buddy, can you hear me?” No reply, and his landline showed four missed calls, three of which were from Ryan. He made his way down the hall to the kitchen, noting the coffee machine, which had a timer, had a cup of coffee under it. A touch confirmed it was cold, made this morning but not drunk.

  Gun out now, Ryan glanced into the spare bedroom and the bathroom, both of which were empty and tidy, with no signs of entrance. Ryan knew Jack had a shower every morning, but his towel was still folded on the shelves in the bathroom, dry and pristine. The living room was also fine, a little messier than the rest of the apartment, but a cosy, lived in mess rather than signs of a struggle. There appeared to be no forced entry, so he made his way through and into the main bedroom and ensuite through the other doors.

  Finally he found Jack, and he almost breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed the pallor of his face. He didn’t appear to be wounded but he was white as a sheet with a hint of grey, eyes shut like he was sleeping, but the sheets around him were damp and beads of sweat trickled down his face. His phone lay charging on the table beside him, a flashing light informing him of all the missed calls and messages Ryan had left.

  “Jack,” Ryan said urgently, shoving his gun back into his jacket and shaking his friend’s shoulder. “Jack, come on buddy, wake up,”

  All that happened, though, was Jack made a small noise and twitched a little. Running a hand through his hair, Ryan pressed the other to Jack’s forehead, wincing at the burning temperature. It was clear he had a terrible fever, and Ryan wasn’t really the nursing type. Nevertheless, an uneasy feeling churning in his gut at seeing the normally unshakable Jack so fragile, he went to dampen a cloth in the en suite and placed it on the sick man’s forehead, unsure of what to do next. In the end he picked up his phone and called Caleb; while he generally dealt with bullet wounds and broken bones, he had some medical background and could hopefully advise him.

  “Hey Ryan,” Caleb’s cheery voice came down the line, and Ryan forced himself not to get angry at how chipper he seemed; it wasn’t his fault, after all. “What’s up?”  
  “Jack’s sick, he’s got a really high fever,” Ryan replied, gently dabbing at the other man’s face with the cloth. He was sitting on the edge of the bed now, and watching as Jack took deep, rattling breaths. With a jolt, he realised his own hands were shaking and fought to steady them.  
  “A fever? How high?” Caleb asked, and Ryan could hear rustling on the other end now, as though he was looking for something.  
  “I don’t know, I didn’t check, but he’s burning up,” he replied. In truth he had no idea where Jack might keep a thermometer, but didn’t deem it important right now – what did it matter how high, when it was obviously so bad he wasn’t even waking up?  
  “He might need to be taken to the hospital,” Caleb said, “depending on how high it is.”  
  “Well I mean, he’s unconscious, that usually indicates some level of seriousness,” Ryan snapped, somewhat impatient now.  
  “Ah shit, yeah, that’s an issue,” he replied, and Ryan sighed, now smoothing Jack’s hair away from his face. “I’ll get some people there ASAP to help you get him to the RT clinic, just hang on there and put like a damp cloth on him or something, try and keep it down until they get there,”  
  “Yeah, already doing that, thanks Caleb,” he said, relieved that help was on its way and that he was doing this right. “ETA?”

  Caleb had just been talking to someone wherever he was but put the phone back to his ear. “Maybe fifteen minutes, less depending on traffic,” he replied.  
  “Traffic’s alright,” Ryan replied, going to refresh the cloth again. “See you soon,”  
  “See ya,”

  Once he was back by Jack’s side, Ryan sighed again, one hand now absent-mindedly stroking his hair.  
  “You got me worried, Jack,” he said with a small smile, thumb brushing over his temple. “I thought someone had broken in. You’ll be alright soon, the cavalry are on their way.”

  He sat with him until the others got there, indicating their arrival by text, and together they managed to haul him into the car, awkwardly smiling at neighbours who eyed them quizzically on their way. Jack sat in the middle with Ryan and Kdin either side, cloth still pressed to his forehead as he slumped into Ryan’s shoulder, still in his pyjamas. The drive to RoosterTeeth’s hospital was short, but Jack was mumbling now, and even though he and Kdin had managed to make him drink some water, Ryan was still concerned about the amount of fluid he’d lost.

  Once inside the hospital it was down to the medics. Ryan knew he could have gone back to check on their target, probably should have, but instead he found himself sitting in the sort of waiting room they’d set up, filled with comfortable sofas and coffee machines, texting the rest of the crew to tell them what had happened. Jack’s in hospital with a fever. I’m here with him. They reckon he’ll be fine soon enough.

  After slipping his phone back into his pocket, Ryan restlessly paced the room, unable to sit still for long. Jack was in a room somewhere being fussed over by hospital officials and he was useless, but he didn’t want to be too far in case something happened, so here he was, like a caged tiger, anxious and somewhat irritable, scared of what might happen with Jack despite knowing the experts were confident he’d be fine.

  He was certain he’d been there for hours, and yet not long all at once when the door opened and Caleb’s smiling face appeared. Ryan, still on edge, was standing to his full height, cold Vagabond eyes staring at the young doctor.  
  “He’ll be absolutely fine,” he said, unfazed by Ryan’s game-face. “You can come and see him if you like,”

  Ryan nodded wordlessly and followed Caleb to the room Jack was in, letting out a shaky breath as he saw his friend again. He was still passed out, worryingly pale against the sheets, but he was taking steady breaths, and Caleb informed him his temperature had decreased somewhat.  
  “He probably won’t wake up until his temperature is more normal,” Caleb was saying as Ryan slumped into the chair beside his crewmate, lips pressed firmly together. “That might take some time, but you don’t look like you’re leaving anytime soon so I’ll, um, leave you to it,”

  Caleb shuffled out of the room, leaving Ryan alone at Jack’s bedside, now gently holding his hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. He rested his elbow on the edge of the bed, bringing Jack’s still, too-warm fingers to his lips, and took a shaky breath, allowing his Vagabond composure to fall as he then pressed his forehead to the hand, stomach an odd mess of worry and relief.

  “Come on, Jack,” Ryan said quietly, looking back at Jack’s face. “Wake up,”

  He was met by nothing but heavy breaths, and he sighed again, bringing their hands back down but slipping their fingers together, in the hopes that it would somehow help his recovery.

*

  “He hasn’t left,” Ryan heard Caleb’s voice coming down the corridor a few hours later. He hadn’t let go of Jack’s hand and didn’t now, even when he heard Michael and Ray’s voices coming down the corridor.  
  “Has he eaten?” Michael asked, sounding worried, and Caleb must have shaken his head, because Ray then cut in,  
  “Of course not, idiot,” and Ryan felt a pang of affection for the Puerto Rican.

  He looked up as they came in, pretending he hadn’t heard them speak, and they all took in the mens’ interlinked fingers without comment, though Ray smiled a little as he sat beside Ryan, Michael sitting the opposite side of the bed.  
  “Hey, moron, go eat something,” Michael greeted, and Ryan chuckled softly, shaking his head.  
  “Not hungry,” he replied, and Ray shoved his arm.  
  “You gotta eat, man,” he said, frowning, intimidating despite being so tiny. Ryan was adamant, though – he wasn’t even thinking of leaving until Jack woke up, and he told them so. This time Michael gave him a fond smile as Caleb slowly sidestepped out of the room, patting Jack’s other hand gently, and Ray leaned on Ryan’s shoulder, the three sitting in silence as they watched Jack breathe.

  “You know, this is kinda creepy,” Ray said after a while, startling a laugh out of Ryan. “We’re just watching him sleep, like some Twilight bullshit,” he continued, and Michael shook his head, laughing.  
  “Where’s your sense of romance, Ray?” he asked, and Ryan froze up – this was the first time anyone had really commented on any sort of romantic connection between people that weren’t together, and his stomach roiled with nerves in anticipation of what was going to be said next.

  But Ray just laughed, probably made a dick joke, and things continued as normal even as Ryan had some sort of internal breakdown, hand accidentally clenching Jack’s a little too hard, and he was suddenly at a loss of what to say, still on edge from Michael’s remark. Thankfully, though, he was saved from saying anything at all as two familiar voices came down the corridor.

  “Unconscious?! For how long?!” Geoff’s outraged-lover voice was loudest, but Gavin’s somewhat-incoherent squawking was almost as loud, and it was the skinny Brit that came in first, flailing his arms in true fashion.  
  “Ryan! You never said he was bloody unconscious!” he screeched, and Ryan winced a little, suddenly feeling bad.  
  “Well, you know, Caleb had it in hand,” he tried to defend himself, but thankfully Geoff didn’t look too angry as he took a seat next to Michael, letting out a deep sigh as he ran his hands over his face. Gavin plonked himself on Geoff’s lap, as there were no more seats, and Geoff loosely rested an arm around his waist, pressing his face against his neck in a rare sign of vulnerability. It made Ryan smile subconsciously, seeing the affection between them, his chest tugging a bit at the hopes of them all becoming something.

  They were all torn from discussion when Jack suddenly made an odd sort of groaning noise, eyelids fluttering, and Ryan’s other hand, which had migrated to Ray’s hair, went down to sandwich Jack’s as he slowly awakened.  
  “Your big trap woke him up,” Ray directed at Gavin without venom, but the other lad’s eyes were shining with hope, and all eyes were now on the awakening ginger.

  “Hey,” Geoff was the first to speak to him, taking hold of his other hand, and Jack’s eyes flickered over to the other gent. “How ya feeling buddy?”  
  “Shit,” Jack replied with a shaky laugh, and Ryan let out a long breath; he sounded weak but he was awake and speaking which made the butterflies settle a little. Ray sat up to see him more clearly and the movement brought Jack’s attention to their side of the bed, and he smiled as he realised Ryan was clasping his other hand.

  “Hey, Ryan, probably scared you, huh,” he said, and Ryan laughed a little, nodding.  
  “Just a bit,” he replied, but Jack squeezed his hand and he smiled more warmly this time. Before he even registered what he was doing, Ryan was leaning forward, brushing his nose against Jack’s, heart beating furiously, but he remembered the sheer worry at the thought of having lost Jack, and knew he was doing the right thing. He gently kissed Jack’s cheek before pulling away, blood rushing to his cheeks, but not letting go of Jack’s hand.

  He resolutely did not look at anyone, not wanting to see what was in their eyes, feeling too vulnerable for that…but then he heard the unmistakable sound of kissing and his eyes flicked across the bed to Gavin, who had clambered onto Michael’s lap and was kissing him in earnest, and then to Ray and Geoff, who were sharing a fond, affectionate smile, hands linking across the bed, and then to Jack, who was looking directly at him, soft blue eyes kind and twinkling despite his fever.

  “So, that’s that then?” Jack asked, not letting go of Ryan’s hand, and he smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek again, suddenly feeling a hundred times lighter.  
  “Yeah,” he nodded, resting his forehead against his new lover’s. “Yeah, that’s that, I guess.”

  It was the start of something amazing.

**Author's Note:**

> Come prompt me over at [tumblr](http://hogwarts-in-the-shire.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
